Valentine's Hunting
by Cassie Valentine
Summary: A grown up Aislynne does a little thinking


Valentine's Hunting  
  
Cassie Valentine  
  
Disclaimer: Andromeda isn't mine.  
  
I know he's sitting there, watching me from inside the house. I also know that he's sizing up Tem. You know, it's not like I set out to fall in love with Tyr Anasazi's kid. . . it just kinda happened! I mean, who sets out to fall In love with anyone?!?! I know my parents didn't, that was Cass' fault. Well, I guess it wasn't really her fault, but she was the catalyst. I know he was even more protective of her when she left home, then again, she left home with the Maru, looking for adventure when she was 19. She said that she couldn't really handle Tarn Vedra, she missed space. Momma understood, she got that far away look in her eyes, hugged her and wished her luck, reminding her to call home regularly, not to get into too much  
  
trouble and, above all, do not, under any circumstances, hook up with uncle Rafe for anything. Cass laughed at her, told her not to worry and started to get ready to leave. She paused for a moment before  
  
returning to pappa's study. She stood in the doorway, staring at him for a moment.  
  
"This is it old man," she said.  
  
"It for what?" he asked with out turning around.  
  
"I'm off to find some adventure, play space coyboy," she replied. He stayed quiet for a moment before finally standing, a little slower then he used to, and motioned her over. She walked over to him and I noticed then how small she really was and how big the universe she was going out into was. Cassidie Morgan Valentine-Hunt barely came up to his shoulders. He'd still tell her that she hadn't grown into  
  
her name and she'd just laugh at him and say she was doing okay. "Doesn't really matter though, I'm just Cassie Hunt in most places," she'd tell him. Anyways, I'm getting off track here. . .  
  
She walked over to him and he stopped her, just in front of that tape line on the floor, the only space in the room none of us were allowed to go into except momma and papa. It didn't matter how old we got,  
  
we were never allowed to pass that line. He stopped in front of an old metal case and pulled out his force lance. The last time I saw it was when uncle Harper got married. Of course, that was also the last time I saw him in full dress uniform, I must have been about 5. She started crying when he gave it to her.  
  
"It saved you when I took you from the mercy of the universe. Maybe it'll save you when I give you back to it's mercy," he told her as he handed it and a worn, well used, gun belt to her. "It's Beka's. She  
  
doesn't know I still have it," he told her.  
  
"Thanks Dylan," she said as she hugged him. That was the one thing she never did. She has never called them mom and dad, it's always been Beka and Dylan. I remember when I, well, Ben and I, were about 7 and Hallee was 2. I guess she was 12 and she called them mom and dad for the first time. They all went silent and looked at each other for a moment. "I figured I should give it a try," she said with a shrug and a smile. "It didn't feel right though," she finished.  
  
"It's okay," momma said, "Didn't I ever tell you that we'll always answer, whether it is to Beka and Dylan or mom and dad?"  
  
"Just checking," she said. That was the last time it came up.  
  
It's been about a 6 years since she left and about 2 since Tem and his family moved to Tarn Vedra. I'm only 3 years older then him, but you'd never know it. He's every inch his father and just a bad for me. I may be a Hunt, but I'm half Valentine. We love things that are bad for us!!  
  
"You should stop staring at him," Tem pointed out as he came closer to me.  
  
"I know," I said.  
  
"You are going to have to talk to him about this," he pointed out.  
  
"I know," I said again as he pulled me a little closer to him.  
  
"I will not leave you alone about this."  
  
"I know."  
  
"My parents already know."  
  
"Yeah and I'm surprised both of us didn't get the `don't ruin the gene pool anymore!' lecture," I said. Temujin Anasazi out of Amidalla by Tyr was already half human and Tyr had been very dilligent in  
  
instilling Nietzschean values in his kids. Tem was the oldest and the only one that hadn't listen to his father.  
  
"Watch those hands Mr. Anasazi," I heard a moment later. We jumped apart just as my father came up to us.  
  
"I believe I will take this oportunity to make a gracefull exit," Tem said as he snuck away.  
  
"Thanks," I mumbled to him. He just gave me that smile as he left. I couldn't help it and replied with a little smile of my own.  
  
"I saw that," papa said.  
  
"Saw what?"  
  
"That look. I know it well. Your mom still gets it every once and a while," he said proudly. I smiled at him. My parents faught more than any other people I knew, but they also had some kind of bond. He  
  
knew what she wanted, even when she didn't and she knew what he needed when he didn't.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," I said.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," he replied, "Just make sure you know what you're getting into with Tem. Those Anasazi men can be trouble," he said with a smile and a hug. Then he walked away. That was the same look he gave Cass when she left, the same look he gives her everytime she signs off of a communication. He won't admit it, but she's his first little girl, his favorite. I don't mind because I know I'm his legacy to the universe. We used to fight over that, me and Cass, when we were kids. Who was the favorite daughter and why. It always ended in tears, it couldn't be prevented and we never learned. A week later and we were in the same argument, same insults and the same result.  
  
It doesn't really matter now though, I don't think it ever did. It was just a way for us to see who could get a hug from him before a punishment, nothing more than a little game.  
  
"Get that look off of your face," I said to Tem. I knew he was out here, most likely behind the tree.  
  
"What look?"  
  
"The one I know you're wearing right now!" I said as I started looking for him.  
  
"Is everything okay now?" he asked as he came out.  
  
"I think so. He's not happy with the idea of me finding another man to love, but, he'll get over it. I don't think he knows about Cass and Claude yet," I said as I stared to walk towards the field behind the house.  
  
"What??" he asked as he followed me.  
  
"I didn't say anything," I said without looking back.  
  
"Who's Claude??"  
  
"I think she called him a `business partner'."  
  
"You think???"  
  
"Hey, she's my sister. I don't know everything!" I said with a little screech as he caught me and pulled me to him.  
  
"You do though, don't you?" he asked into my hair.  
  
"Of course, she's my sister. But I didn't just say that."  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"I didn't!"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Will you stop that?" I asked him as I turned around in his arms so I faced him.  
  
"Stop what?" he asked innocently. I just closed my eyes and shook my head. "What?"  
  
"Nothin'."  
  
"What?" he asked again.  
  
"Nothin'," I said again with a smile.  
  
"Aislynne . ."  
  
"I was just playin' with your mind," I said with a laugh. He quickly found a way to quiet me down again. 


End file.
